about

Our History

The story of Forest Hills United Baptist Church (fhbChurch) began in 1963 with a few exploratory meetings, followed by more focused gatherings in early 1964. It wasn’t until May 14, 1964, that we officially became a ‘local church,’ with 114 Charter Members and the election of our first officers. Construction of our building started in June and by September, Rev. Dr. Myron Brinton became our first pastor. Worship services began in the basement on November 15, 1964, and by Christmas of that year, we moved into our current Worship Centre (Sanctuary). Our first baptism took place on January 3, 1965, with 15 people baptized by Dr. Brinton.

As the 1960s progressed, our congregation grew, and it quickly became clear we needed more space. In 1971, the Christian Education Centre was opened, providing additional classrooms, offices, and a gymnasium. As more people came to faith, we soon found ourselves needing even more space. In 1976, a portion of our Sunday School and Junior Worship moved to Forest Hills School. Then, in 1983, thanks to the generosity of many, we expanded our Worship Centre and added more classrooms.

Over the years, there were several significant milestones.

• In 1987 and 2005, for example, nearly 25 people were baptized in each of those years, publicly declaring their faith in the waters of baptism.

• In 2002, we reached out to the children of our community by opening the Living Waters Child Development Centre, a non-profit, licensed daycare. Living Waters, which now operates at full capacity, cares for around 70 children, teaching them that they are children of God, valued and loved.

• We were also blessed to partner with the Saint John Global Mission Church, which began ministering to the Korean community in 2009, sharing our facilities and working together to serve.

• Our Forest Hills Community Garden, which has been active for over 10 years, remains a vibrant hub for those interested in horticulture.

• Our commitment to local and global missions, which dates back to our early years, remains strong and unwavering.

Today, fhbChurch continues to meet the needs of our community in a variety of ways, including worship services, Bible studies, children's and youth ministries, affinity groups, support for newcomers and refugees, deaf interpretation, and local and global missions.

As we look ahead, we’re excited for many more opportunities to continue connecting people with Jesus and with each other, until He returns!

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Click HERE to view/download Rev. Brian Gary Steeves’ extensive history of fhbChurch, “FHBC - Our Story So Far.